rosy loaches + pangios +?

[NancyD]

I'm setting up a planted 4ft 40g long tank for my pangios, vaillantella maassi & some tiny lepidocephalichthys? I'm thinking hard about adding some rosy loaches. Any thoughts on this combo?

Before you ask, the tiny loaches are these
http://www.invertzfactory.com/images_or ... ura_sp.jpg from this thread http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... halichthys

They are mostly very mellow with occasional bouts of very hyperactivity. I've had them for about 6 months. mine look paler than the pic on light colored sand. They are only 3/4 inch maybe 1 inch TL.

The only fish I'm really concerned about may be the V. maassi, not quite as mellow as pangios they're in with.

[Emma Turner]

Hi Nancy,
Any idea where those mystery loaches originated from? Could they be juvenile Lepidocephalichthys furcatus? http://www.loaches.com/species-index/le ... s-furcatus
Behaviour wise, I don't think your proposed list of fish would be a problem, however, Rosy loaches tend to do better in harder, more alkaline water, compared to Vaillantella maassi who like it a bit softer.
Hope this helps,
Emma

[NancyD]

Thanks Emma. Pedro said the lepidocephalichthys are from Myanmar but nothing more specific. In my tank they look more similar to L. furcatus than in his pic. Fishbase also listed a couple lepidocephalichthys that are tiny but no pics. Mine have a darker lateral line & more distinct spots above than the fine peppering in the species profile. They do have the dorsal base spot & caudal peduncle line, could just be individual variations.

They are in a low tank & very hard to see. I have 8 but 3 at most are visible, that's partly why I want to move them.

I'll have to check my water hardness, it's usually 3-4dGH, KH is low so I add crushed coral to the filters. Ironically the lepidocephalichthys were sent with much harder water than mine & I've been gradually reducing it. I haven't checked lately I'll need to ask what the rosies are being kept at.

[piggy4]

Nice group of fishes

[NancyD]

Thanks piggy4. I think I'll plan on keeping the rosies with cherry shrimp, I can't find my darn KH & GH test

[Graeme Robson]

Another possibility is the Lepidocephalichthys micropogon.

http://www.siamensis.org/images/webboar ... 109980.jpg

[NancyD]

When moving them I got a better look. 1 looks exactly like L. furcatus with the fine speckles. I assume they're all the same species...

I tried to get some pics but I don't know how to use my point & shoot camera at all well yet. Now in the new tank a couple hung out with pangios trying to "dance" without getting clobbered. 1 half inch guy almost got left behind, guess I can't count.

I also noticed 1 of my v.maassi looks to be carrying eggs, possibly another too, very robust. The third is much thinner with a nipped up tail I'll have to try for more pics after they adjust to the tank.